INK JET PRINTER

PURPOSE:To dispense with a belt unit moving mechanism and to simplify a structure by a method wherein the belt flat part having no wipers in a cleaning device is opposed to the nozzle surface of a recording head in close vicinity thereto and the wipers are slid on the nozzle surface before the cleaning device is returned to the initial position. CONSTITUTION:In wiping off the nozzle surface 2 of a recording head 1, at first, as a first process, the flat part having no wipers 6 of a belt 5 fitted with wipers 6 is positioned in opposed relation to the nozzle surface 2 in close vicinity thereto. Next, as a second process, the nozzle surface 2 is opposed to the flat part of the belt 5 fitted with the wipers in close vicinity thereto to be stopped. Continuously, as a third process, a plurality of pulleys 7,8 are rotated by a predetermined angle to slide the wipers 6 on the nozzle surface 2 and excessive ink or dust is wipen off by the wipers 6. As a fourth process, the belt 5 fitted with the wipers 6 is returned to its initial position and made runnable and movable for the sake of the recording due to the recording head 1. By this constitution, a conventional belt unit moving mechanism is dispensed with.